Drkoop.com Considers Contenders
DALLAS – Officials with Austin, Texas-based medical Web site Drkoop.com said they are still considering a list of contenders for their account that sources estimate at $8 million. A decision on which shops to invite to the pitch could come this week, a company representative said. The Internet venue is affiliated with former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop.
GSD&M, DDB Capture Effie Kudos
DALLAS – Local agencies were named winners in this year’s Effie awards competition sponsored by the American Marketing Association in New York. GSD&M in Austin, Texas, received a gold Effie for its Texas Tourism campaign and shared another award for its media work on MasterCard International. DDB in Dallas brought home a silver Effie for its “Rampage” campaign for Midway Home Entertainment.
True North Sells Publicis Stake
CHICAGO – True North Communications has sold its 8.8 percent stake in former partner Publicis SA, valued in the company’s annual report at $134 million. Publicis still has about a 10 percent investment in True North, valued in the neighborhood of $125 million. Publicis worldwide chairman and chief executive officer Maurice Levy said there were no plans to sell that share, saying True North’s “share price is not satisfactory enough to warrant selling our stake.”
Marc USA Acquires New York Shop
DALLAS – Marc USA in Pittsburgh has acquired New York’s Ryan Drossman & Partners, which will now be known as Ryan Drossman/Marc USA. Terms of the cash deal were not disclosed. Under chairman and chief executive officer Tony Bucci, Marc USA has been on an acquisition spree in the past year, picking up agencies in Chicago, Dallas (LMS/Marc), Miami, Indianapolis, Boston and Seattle.
Honors and Awards Roundup
DALLAS – The Austin (Texas) Advertising Federation presented its annual lifetime achievement honor to KEYE-TV, Channel 42 news anchor Neal Spelce during its Big Wig Awards luncheon last week. Also honored were Ad Man of the Year Bryan Jessee, a partner in the McGarrah Jessee advertising agency, and Woman of the Year Sherry Matthews, principal of Sherry Matthews Advertising . . . The Dallas Advertising League will honor Tom Luce, chairman of the nonprofit organization currently representing North Texas in the bid for the 2012 Olympics, by naming him president of the group’s Kudos College . . . The American Advertising Federation in Houston recently honored Chuck Carlberg, president and chief executive officer of Rives Carlberg, with its 1999 Silver Medal. The chapter also recognized Drayton McClane with its Trailblazer Award.
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